Destiny's Calling
by FeralShadowwolf
Summary: TF. Sequel to 'Time Crossed Lovers'. When Wes risks everything to find Jen, she must decide if she could give up her life as the Pink Ranger and TF Agent to be with Wes. Her decision will affect the fate of the Power Rangers. Using songs from 'The Calling
1. Could It Be Any Harder

**Hi, please read 'Time Crossed Lover's' first if you haven't already done so, as this story makes so much more sense then, and I think you'd enjoy it a lot more.  
Have fun!**

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Could It Be Any Harder 

"_And I will always be a part of you, in your heart. I won't ever leave you." She swore to him, pulling away to look in his eyes. "If we could only be together."_

"_I will find a way to you Jen. I will come for you." Wes promised. "This is not goodbye, don't even think it. And when I find you, I'm never letting you go again."_

_Jen kissed him one final time before getting onto the ship, looking out of the window to her love. Despite his promises, she knew she'd never see him again, never hear his voice, it was impossible. But lies were always happier than the truth._

_The engine started up as her friends gathered around her, watching Wes as they began their ascent, Wes' face remorseful._

**Xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox**

And so, just like that, she was gone. Swallowed by a rip in the sky, eclipsed by the whitest light he'd ever seen; and just as suddenly as his friends had dropped into his life, they had been snatched out of it, leaving him alone on the beach with the sounds of the tide and the birds making it seem as if nothing had ever happened.

Wesley Collins took a few minutes to look at the patch of sky which had torn apart only moments ago and stolen Jen out of his arms; the last thing he saw of her were tears rolling down her face, really believing that that was goodbye.

_You left me with goodbye and open arms  
A cut so deep I don't deserve  
You were always invincible in my eyes  
The only thing against us now is time_

Looking back to the day in the park, where Wes had braved everything to finally tell Jen how he felt and shared their first kiss, Wes could not believe that it had happened only a few days ago, it felt more like a lifetime ago. For one month, he had become the Red Ranger, battling evil mutants, finding new extraordinary friends, finding himself and finding love. He had felt fulfilled, but now, without them, without Jen…

He had a perfect image of Jen's face; it was the day he'd first made her smile. They were in the clock tower and everyone else had gone out. Jen had been working, as usual, while Wes had watched TV. It had only been a few days after arriving in the 21st century, and Jen was still reeling from Alex's death. Wes had attempted to clean the place up a little, but having always been the rich kid, the best he'd ever been able to do was fluff pillows. Despite this, he got out the duster, but didn't know where the polish was. He asked Jen, and she vaguely replied that it was in the kitchen. He remembered finding the canister on the table-top and grabbed it, without even looking at the label. Wes had picked up the squirty cream and began cleaning everything with that. Jen was in fits, finding Wes' stupidity thoroughly entertaining. She was laughing so long, and despite the fact that it was at his expense, he didn't mind, just to see her smile was worth it. Wes believed it was at that moment that he began to care for Jen more than he was supposed to.

_Could it be any harder  
To say goodbye and without you  
Could it be any harder to watch you go  
To face what's true  
If I only had one more day…_

Wes began to walk around, to no place in particular, he just needed something to keep himself moving, something to keep himself from breaking down. He couldn't imagine waking up every morning without seeing Jen's face, or Lucas', Trip's or Katie's for that matter.

He reached their park, and looked at the tree where they'd been, imagining that he and Jen were still sitting there, that he'd fallen asleep and this was all some horrible dream. Jen would wake him up any moment and laugh at the notion that she would leave him. He waited for a few seconds, grabbing onto the last few glimpses of illogical hope. Seconds passed, and he was still standing there, without Jen.

_I lie down and I blind myself with laughter  
A quick fix of hope is what I'm needing  
And how I wish I could turn back the hours  
But I know I just don't have the power  
Could it be any harder  
To say goodbye and without you  
Could it be any harder to watch you go  
To face what's true  
If I only had one more day…_

He knew, somehow deep down, that their love was impossible. It exceeded time, went beyond the stars, it was like mortals pretending they could be gods. But no, they didn't have enough power to prevent the inevitable. Wes knew that his heart might break, but he believed Jen was worth the hurt because a short time with her was better than a lifetime with anyone else. If he could go back and do it all over, he wouldn't change a thing; if he could go back and spend more time with her though…

_I'd jump at the chance  
We'd drink and we'd dance  
And I'd listen close to your every word  
As if it's your last, I know it's your last  
Cause today, you're gone  
Could it be any harder  
To say goodbye and without you  
Could it be any harder to watch you go  
To face what's true  
If we only had one more day…_

There were so many things he wished he could tell Jen, just to hear the sound of her sweet voice. He had walked back to the clock tower, climbing its steps seemed to take longer now, the top just an empty echo of what it used to be. Wes wasn't sure what to do with this life now. He couldn't stay in the clock tower, it served no purpose; it would have to return to the dust and the cobwebs he had found it in and live back at home, where his father would most likely force him to follow in his corporate footsteps.

As for love… he knew there would be no one in his life that would even compare with Jen. And as for her… he had told her to have a good life, and he meant it, he didn't want her to be alone. Wes understood that they had to sacrifice themselves for the greater good, but he didn't have to like it. All the thoughts in his head were: Would she find someone? Have kids?

_Like the sand on my feet  
The smell of sweet perfume  
You stick to me forever  
And I wish you didn't go  
I wish you didn't go, I wish you didn't go away.  
To touch you again  
With life in your hands_

He found a pen and piece of paper on the desk and slumped down on the chair. He began to write everything and anything he felt _for_ Jen and _with_ Jen, hopes he had, wishes he wanted fulfilled. Without realizing it, he'd written a letter to her, as if it could just be sent off and she could be near him the next day. But perhaps, one day, he could hold her in his arms again.

_It couldn't be any harder, harder, harder_


	2. Wherever You Will Go

**Wherever You Will Go**

Ever since she had returned to the 31st century, Jen had been going around in a haze, like she was sleepwalking and couldn't wake up.

Despite the fact that this time, this world, was her own, the one that she'd grown up in, everything seemed so unfamiliar and distant. Trinkets that had held so much nostalgia, so many good memories, now seemed meaningless in comparison to what she'd lost. It felt like she'd lost a home, her real home, and she would never get it back.

In her apartment, where Alex had moved out all he owned, she was met by the dusty darkness of her absence. Dead plants were withered on the windowsill; there was a dry musky smell that made her feel unwelcome, and the general emptiness made Jen wonder why she'd ever lived there.

One thing she couldn't get out of her mind, though, was what happened to Wes? Being in the future, she was sure there would be records and she knew where to find them. The only thing holding her back was fear. What if he got married and had children, never to think of her again? On the other hand, what if he pined for her his whole life, miserable and alone? Despite the circumstance, she had to find out, she had to know.

Although dusty, the computer interface still worked and in it held every record and piece of information her status would allow her to see. She switched it on and took a few seconds to re-educate herself with the 31st century technology.

"Locate any and all files relating to Wesley Collins." Jen commanded.

"There are 671,992 Wesley Collins on record, specify." The computer droned out.

"Wesley Collins, born 7th May 1974." Jen replied.

The computer beeped, signaling that the search was successful. "Found: 2 Files to match Wesley Collins, born 7th May 1974."

Transfer to portable pad." Jen commanded, walking to her desk and waiting a few seconds for the data to be received in her handheld computer. She sat in her chair, leaning back. Taking a deep breath, she tapped the first file open, which was his official record as issued by the Time Force Police. It read:  
_Wesley Collins  
Born: 7th May 1974  
Died: 17th August 2021 – Liver Failure/ Drug Abuse_

Jen reread his cause of death. _Live Failure/ Drug Abuse. Live Failure/ Drug Abuse. _But how? Wes would never be so stupid; his father would never have let him do this to himself… unless his father had…. She read on.  
_Biography:  
Wesley Collins, briefly the Red Ranger due to an incident in the Time Force continuum, was brought up a wealthy man. By the time of his father's death in 2003, he squandered his money on material possessions. He was often drunk, which contributed to his death in 2021, although reportedly died from an overdose of a 21st century drug. He never married and had no children._  
End File.

Jen couldn't believe what she was reading; it wasn't possible that this was her Wes, there was just no way. She rechecked all of the information and dates which, to her knowledge, was all correct. She'd ruined his life, it was her; she knew it was all because of her. She began to cry, struggling for breath. Her eyes kept wandering over the text, each word paining her. She had to shut the file off.

However, it couldn't escape her notice that there was another file, which was unorthodox as Time Force only ever gave one report on the subject. She dried her eyes enough to be able to read and caught her breath, compelled to read the next file, though terrified it would destroy her image of Wes further.

The file was encrypted, password protected to only be opened by Jen, though from who this was from she was unsure. At her fingerprint, the file decoded itself. It seemed, though Jen found it too unlikely, like a letter.

Records showed that the letter was preserved and then transferred from the original dating back a thousand years. She held her breath… it couldn't be.

Jen,  
_So lately, been wondering  
Who will be there to take my place?  
When I'm gone, you'll need love  
To light the shadows on your face.  
If a great wave shall fall and fall on us all  
Then between the sand and stone  
Could you make it on your own?_

_If I could, then I would  
I'll go wherever you will go  
Way up high, or down low  
I'll go wherever you will go_

_And maybe, I'll find out  
A way to make it back someday  
To watch you, to guide you  
Through the darkest of your days  
If a great wave shall fall and fall on us all  
Then I hope there's someone out there  
Who can bring me back to you._

_If I could, then I would  
I'll go wherever you will go  
Way up high, or down low  
I'll go wherever you will go_

_Run away with my heart  
Run away with my hope  
Run away with my love_

_I know now, just quite how  
My life and love might still go on  
In your heart, in your mind,  
I'll stay with you for all of time._  
Wes.

Jen cried; she couldn't help it. His letter was so beautiful, so filled with hope and promise for his future, but his file showed nothing but loneliness and pain. She'd made such a mess; she should have never gone back to 2001. Now she understood why the Time Force Agency were so rigid with their rules: terrible tragedies happen to those affected by time. Poor Wes, he had leant that firsthand and she would be the one who would have to live with the blame her whole life, live with the knowledge that she'd destroyed the life of the only person who mattered to her. That fact broke her heart completely, and she vowed to herself that she would never play with the timeline again, having learnt it would only bring searing, blistering pain.


	3. Things Don't Always Turn Out That Way

**Things Don't Always Turn Out That Way**

**SIX YEARS LATER – 2007**

Wes rolled over in his bed, knocking himself partially awake by an empty beer bottle on his pillow. He groaned, forcing himself to look at his alarm clock. It blinked 2:06am. He groaned again and sat up, swinging his feet out onto the floor in hopes of finding a piece of the carpet that wasn't covered in beer or vomit. Wes yawned and walked to his window, looking past the neon sign directly opposite his Queens apartment to the dark, damp streets below.

How had he got here? For months, maybe even the first few years, after Jen left, he had held onto some morsel of hope that she might come back to him, or that there would be some sign that she shouldn't give up on her. He last words to her reverberated in his head over and over: _I will find a way to you, Jen. I will come for you. This is not goodbye, don't even think it, and when I find you, I'm never letting you go again._ An empty promise, no matter how much he wanted to fulfill it. He shouldn't have let her go the first time; his younger, naïve self still had that sense of humanity and duty which a permanently broken heart and hard times had stripped him off. There was never a moment when he hadn't regretted giving up Jen, never a moment when thoughts of her would stop.

_Well he can't sleep at night  
And he can't do what's right  
It was all because she came into his life  
It's a deep obsession, taking up his time_

As Wes brushed his teeth, he couldn't help but be disgusted by the reflection in the mirror. He had lost everything and everyone who had ever matted to him. From the moment that Jen had left, to his father's death, to that precise moment in time, Wes had spiraled out of control, he knew it, his defense being that he had nothing to keep him moving through life anyway. Life had been crueler to him than he ever thought possible, and he couldn't forgive it.

He had nothing to fight for or against; there were no mutants to stop, crime had decreased to the point that nothing he could have done would have made a difference, and although he had briefly joined the 'Silver Guardians', they had soon dissipated when the mutant threat had disappeared and his father had died. The only thing keeping him alive, the only thing stopping him from ending it on those cold, lonely nights, was knowing that Jen would not want him to end his life like that.

_She's all that he wants, she's all that he needs  
She's everything he just won't believe  
Take away his doubt, turn him inside out  
Then she can see what he'd been dying to say  
But things don't always turn out that way_

It began to rain outside, depressing Wes even further. Pulling on a shirt and some pants, he collapsed back onto his bed, looking to the ceiling for answers. How his life had changed, how that one month as a Power Rangers had affected his life, and how Jen had affected him so… "I would give anything, _anything_, to get her back." He murmured to himself.

Suddenly, the room shook. He jumped off his bed onto his feet, holding his ground. At first, Wes guessed earthquake, but within a few seconds he heard no screams from the neighbors and saw nothing but stillness outside. "What the…"

A green cloud formed in his bedroom, lightning coming from it, widening rapidly, almost like a portal he'd once seen… But it wasn't possible. A thunderbolt roared, and out of the cloud stepped a blue and green mutant, six tentacles hung from his torso and big teeth stuck out of his mouth… the cloud evaporated behind it.

They stared at each other for a moment: Wes out of shock, the mutant for no reason other than to shock him. Immediately after regaining his posture, Wes put up his guard.

"I didn't come here to fight." The mutant said, holding up his arms and tentacles in a surrender motion.

"I doubt that." Wes said defiantly. It had been a while, and his body had become stiff and slow, but he still retained how to fight. He threw punches and kicks, none of them making contact due to its tentacles pushing him away. Wes felt himself getting tired, evidently not as fit as he once was. Before Wes could react, a tentacle flung itself at him, pushing him to the floor.

"I'm serious, I'm not here to fight." The mutant repeated. Wes remained skeptical, but didn't move off the floor. "The name's Fred."

"Fred?" Wes almost smiled, though still confused.

"What? You were expecting something like Tentatooth? Or Octoevil?" He rolled his eyes.

"Well, yeah." Wes confessed. This behaviour from a mutant was completely unknown to him. "Aren't mutants usually… evil?"

"Common misconception. Most are, some are helpful members of society and have been treated so since the equality laws of '96, and by that, I mean 2996." Fred explained, his cheery attitude making Wes' hangover more painful.

"So you're…" Wes processed.

"From the future." Fred answered. "You know, you don't look too great. Need to lose a few pounds, methinks." He chuckled to himself.

"Ok, I am so confused." Wes slowly stood up. He opened his eyes in a sudden burst of clarity. "Of course, this is all some weird dream. I must have assed out."

"Dude, if you were passed out, why would I be standing here, instead of some gorgeous babe?" He asked.

"Good point." Wes murmured.

"And then there's this." Fred smiled, waiting for Wes' blank look to settle in before punching him right in the face.

"Ow!" Wes cried, only to recover quickly to swing at punch at Fred. Fred dodged.

"Just helping you to sober up." Fred smiled, letting Wes know that he really wasn't a threat.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Wes asked, collapsing in a chair and tending to his bruised face.

Believe it or not, I'm here to help you." Fred said matter-of-factly.

"Oh yeah, what could you possibly do for me?" Wes scoffed.

"Here." He threw Wes a watch like device, except it held no time and had no screen.

"What's this?" Wes asked, holding up the seemingly meaningless trinket.

"This, Wesley Collins, is your salvation. When you murmured those tiny little words 'I will do anything to get her back' – took you long enough by the way – that was my cue to jump in and make all your dreams come true." He said. "This little baby," He pointed to the watch. "Will take you to the year 3000 and your bonny lass."

Wes stared at him for a moment, looked at the watch, then at Fred, and then threw his head back in laughter. "So, you're like my fairy god-mutant? Come to make sure all my dreams come true? Now I now I'm dreaming."

"Need me to hit you again?" Fred offered.

"No, I'm good." Wes flinched. "But you honestly expect me to believe all this?"

"Believe what you want, but this is a real deal and a one time offer, would you honestly pass it up?" Fred asked, Wes' face indicated he couldn't risk his only chance of being with Jen.

"Fine, but how do you know my name? About Jen? Why are you doing this?" Wes asked, questions fumbling out of him without thought or order.

"That's not your concern. The only question you need to ask yourself is, would you rather take a chance, your only chance, to find the love of your life, something you've wanted to do since you lost Pinky there, or do you want to stay here for the rest of your pathetic life until you finally die or depression and liver disease." He kicked the beers cans on the ground to illustrate his point.

Wes was stunned to silence listening to Fred's offer; it was almost too good to be true. Were it not for six years of desperation, he would have really questioned what was in it for Fred, but instead, all he could focus on was all the pro's and con's of why this would work. On the con list, there was the destruction of the timeline, the danger of time jumping and his distrust of Fred. Despite all of that, his pro list outweighed any con he could possibly think of: He would see Jen again.

_All the impure thoughts of his beautiful temptress  
Although he keeps it all bottled up inside  
Although he keeps it all safe within his mind  
She's all that he wants, she's all that he needs  
She's everything he just won't believe  
Take away his doubt, turn him inside out  
Then she can see what he's dying to say  
But things don't always turn out that way_

"So how does this thing work?" Wes smiled, holding up the watch.

"Addaboy." Fred clapped his hands together and knelt beside Wes. "Ok, all you have to do is put your finger on it right here, and say which year you want to go to. It doesn't deal with months, so you could be off by a few months."

"That's it?" Wes asked, surprised by the simplicity. "Why does it look like a watch?"

"Uh, I dunno. Time device, watch keeps time, I'm sure the designers had a good long laugh. Look, the only thing you have to worry about is how it works. Now, this baby only has room for eight jumps, or four if there are two of you, any more than that, it can only support one jump after you've taken the first." Fred warned. "Oh, and it's solar powered, so it won't work indoors."

"Got it." Wes nodded, feeling less certain than he sounded, but determined enough if it meant seeing Jen again. "Thanks, Fred." He smiled gratefully.

_So wipe that smile off your face  
Before it gets too late  
There's only so much time  
For you to make up your mind_

"Go get 'em, kid." Fred patted him on the shoulder.

Wes took a deep breath as he placed his finger on the Timewatch. He had always hoped for this moment to come, but never expected it to. Now that it was happening, time stood still, his heart beat louder than it ever had before.

"Three thousand." Wes breathed. In an instant, the image of Fred and his apartment were replaced by a park with blue grass and hover cars illuminating the night sky. Wes had made it to the year 3000, against all odds, and now he stood where he never believed he would.

_She's all that he wants, she's all that he needs  
She's everything he just won't believe  
Take away his doubt, turn him inside out  
Then she can see what he's dying to say  
But things don't always turn out that way._


	4. Stigmatized

**Thank you all so so much for thee reviews!! They make me so happy, and I'm happy that you're happy :)  
Have fun with this latest chapter!

* * *

**

**Stigmatized**

Wes took a moment to take in his surroundings, feeling almost faint. There were actually cars floating in the air as if they were parked, the buildings were a silver white and the birds in the trees were robots, like circuit. And the only thing he could think in that moment, the only thought that came to him was, why on earth was the grass blue? Everything has seemed to have evolved.

Fred was right about the mutants; humans and mutants were walking along the streets side by side, enraptured by their conversation so much so that he didn't think anyone had noticed that he'd appeared out of nowhere. Wes was grateful for that, and the cover of darkness. He had a feeling that, although time travel was possible in this time, it was not approved for public use, especially by a 21st century man.

Wes walked along the street, hunched over and hands in pockets in an attempt to be as invisible as possible. He had to find Jen, but how? She never talked about her home and he couldn't just go round knocking on doors in the middle of the night. He approached a square box, the size of a telephone box, but inside there was what looked like an evolved computer screen instead of a phone. Truth be told, it could have been anything, but something in his gut told him that this would help him find Jen.

"Are you using that?" A gruff voice said from behind him. Wes turned, startled. "I said, are you using that?"

Wes took a moment to wipe his amazed look off his face, as the sight of a mutant inches off his face was usual enough to him. "Um, no. But I wonder if you could help me, I'm from out of town and this computer isn't like ours back home." Wes half-lied.

"Well, sure." The mutant bared its teeth, Wes chose to believe it was smiling. "What do you need?

"I'm looking for a friend of mine, Jen Scotts." Wes asked. "She invited me over, but I lost the address."

"Sure, happens all the time. Those aerobuses eh? Not what they used to be." He laughed and Wes just played along, having no idea what an 'aerobus' was, but could only guess from the floating cars. The mutant entered the computer box and tapped a few buttons, making the computer beep. "Found: Jennifer Scotts, 6042 Neonst Building, 124th Street."

"Brilliant! Thank you." Wes smiled, the prospect of seeing Jen getting closer and closer. Wes looked around the street. "Uh, which one is 124th street?"

"You really aren't from around here, are ya?" The mutant nodded his head disapprovingly. "Go down there," He pointed. "Take a right, then the second left and you're there."

Wes took a moment to commit the directions to memory. "Thank you so much." Wes grinned gratefully.

"No problem." The mutant muttered.

Wes left his helper and walked down the street, smiling uncontrollably: this was actually going to happen. He'd fought ridiculous, unimaginable odds to find her, and now nothing could stop him.

_If I give up on you, I give up on me  
If we fight what's true, will we ever be?  
Even God himself and the faith I knew  
Couldn't hold me back, couldn't keep me from you._

This was it: Apartment number 6042. Jen's home. Wes breathed, once in and out slowly. He raised his hand and knocked on the door. Knock. Knock. Knock. He waited.

"Coming!" Her voice yelled from the inside, Wes' breath was caught in his stomach, or so it felt. He heard computerized locks unlock and in one swift movement, the door opened. There she was, as beautiful as the day they had parted.

"Alex, what are you doing here? Look, come on in, I'm just cleaning up." She really only glanced at him before turning back into her living room, leaving the door open for him to follow through.

He'd imagined all these words to say to her, he even had a speech prepared, but now… no words formed, all he could say was, "Jen."

She still wasn't facing him, just cleaning some space on her table. "You want a coffee?" She spun round to face him. "What on earth have you done to your hair?" She teased.

"Jen." Wes breathed, unable to take his eyes off her, unable to say or do anything.

"Seriously Alex, you almost look like…" Jen stopped, her smile fading.

"Jen." Wes said again, his body filled with so much warmth just to say her name. She was really there, in front of him.

Jen walked towards Wes, placing her hands on his face, looking deeply into his eyes. "Wes?" She whispered, feeling betrayed by her own words.

"Hi, Jen." Wes smiled.

Jen stepped back, placing a hand over her mouth, tears forming and breath shortening in shock. "Wes?" She ran to him, holding him so tightly, shaking unequivocally.

"It's me, Jen, I'm here." Wes whispered in her ear. She didn't let go of him or loosen her grip.

"If this is a dream, I hope I never wake up." She said, more to herself than to Wes.

Wes pulled away just slightly to look at her face, but kept her in his arms. "This is not a dream, I've got you. Finally, I've got you."

Jen smiled at the sight of him, at the sound of his words, though her tears couldn't possibly stop. "But how? I… it's not possible. But you're here… you're here and you're my Wes."

He smiled, wiping her tears away with his finger. "It doesn't matter how, all that matters is that I'm here."

Jen kissed him; Wes felt her touch so familiar, so warm, as if she'd never stopped kissing him. He had missed her closeness so much, missed the smell of her hair… the only time he was ever complete, was when she was in his arms.

_Tease me, by holding out your hand  
Then leave me, or take me as I am  
And live our lives, stigmatized.  
I can feel the blood rushing through my veins  
When I hear your voice, driving me insane  
Hour after hour, day after day  
Every lonely night that I sit and pray_

They sat on Jen's couch, Jen's head resting on his lap as they held hands, stroking fingers, both afraid that if they stopped it would all be a dream.

"I can't believe this is happening." Jen smiled.

"Me neither. God, you look as beautiful as you ever did, you haven't changed at all." Wes caressed her cheek.

"You've changed." Jen giggled and stroked his stubble. "You look… older." Jen's smile faded. "How old _are_ you? What year…?"

"Since you saw me last, I'm six years older. I came from 2007." Wes confessed, and though she looked startled for a second, Jen just smiled as if to say, 'As long as you're you, I don't care how old you are'. "How long has it been for you?"

"10 months, 8 days, 7 hours, 42 minutes." Jen whispered, letting another tear slip down her face. "I've missed you so much."

Wes leant down to kiss her, softly and in a comforting way. "I won't let you go again, I shouldn't have let you go the first time."

"Wes," She sat up. "I didn't want to give you up either, but there was a reason, remember? I _had_ to go back. The timeline…"

" I know, Jen." He sighed, and kept his gaze on her constant. "But I don't care. You've dedicated your life to keeping the timeline safe, and we've both done a lot of good. We've done out part, and in return our hearts were broken. Now we need to be selfish."

"What are you talking about?" Jen asked, giving a worried smile and taking her eyes off him.

"This." He showed her his watch. "We can go anywhere, Jen, they wouldn't be able to find us. We could be together, just you and me."

"Where did you get that?" Jen asked seriously, sitting up in surprise.

"Does it matter? Jen, I'm talking about reclaiming our lives!" Wes cried.

Jen put a loving hand on his cheek. "I love you so much, more than I ever thought possible… and I won't pretend that the happiest times in my life weren't with you. I would do anything for you to stay here with me though I know you can't… but you're asking me to run away with you. We'd be fugitives, they would look for us and they would find us, wherever or _whenever_ we went." Jen rationalized.

_We live our live on different sides  
But we keep together you and I  
Just live our lives, stigmatized_

Jen perked up. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?" Wes listened.

"It sounded like…" Jen's eyes widened. "Wes, you've gotta get out of here!"

"What? Why?" Wes jumped to his feet after Jen.

"They're coming! Time Force Agents, they've detected your temporal distortion trail. You have to leave, now!" Jen almost shouted in hysteria.

"Not without you." Wes held out his hand. "Come with me."

"Wes, I can't…" Jen looked at his hand. Wes looked at her, almost betrayed, but he understood. He was asking her to give up everything she lived for. Now, even he could hear the Time Force agents thumping up the stairs. Even if it meant being taken by them, Wes wouldn't leave on the chance that Jen might change her mind given enough time.

"Jen, I know that I'm asking you to give up everything to take a chance on me, but I promise you, you won't regret it. I didn't." He smiled.

Crash! Time Force Agents knocked down Jen's door, rushing through to where they stood.

"Freeze! Time Force, you are under arrest." The biggest one shouted, inching towards Wes.

Wes kicked the nearest agent, then the other four lunged at Wes, he evaded them and fought off another two. Jen was too stunned and confused to help either side.

_We'll live our lives, we'll take the punches everyday  
We'll live our lives, I know we're gonna find a way  
I believe in you  
Even if no one understands  
I believe in you  
And I don't really give a damn  
If we're stigmatized_.

Then bam! Wes was crushed to the floor, pinned down by one of the bulkier men. "You are under arrest for timejumping without authorization." He handcuffed Wes and dragged him up off the floor.

"Come find me, Jen." Wes whispered to her as they took him out of her apartment, snatching him from her life once more, leaving her in confused silence.

Now Jen had to choose: abandon Wes to be forced back into his own time without hopes of ever seeing him again, and go on with her work and life as though it never happened; or to run, run with him faster than her legs would carry her, to always be a fugitive, but trust in her heart that love was enough, so that all that other stuff didn't matter.

_We live our lives on different sides,  
But we keep together you and I  
We live our lives on different sides  
We're gonna live our lives  
Gotta live our lives, We're gonna live our lives,  
We gonna live our lives, Gonna live our lives,  
Stigmatized._


	5. Final Answer

**Final Answer**

After having been seized and arrested in Jen's apartment, Wes now found himself in a jail cell, but instead of bars, was kept from the outside world with an impenetrable force field. _Great_, Wes rolled his eyes. _I'm in a star trek episode. _

He guessed he was somewhere within the Time Force official building; the guys who had brought him in here hadn't been too talkative. On top of that, they had taken his timejumping watch, truly and completely stranding him in the 31st century. Things weren't looking too bright. Despite it all, he wouldn't be going anywhere without Jen, so whether he was in a jail cell or in the best hotel, it didn't matter as long as he was in the year 3000; which seemed to work out well because, so far, he hadn't been moved in about two and a half hours, only guessing that the boys upstairs didn't know what to do with him, having seen too much of the future.

_I want love to carry me through  
All the moments I'd kindly undo  
Locked away so I can feel safe  
Now that I'm down on my knees  
Begging for change_

Beside him, the outer door buzzed meaning he'd have visitors, most likely agents asking him about the watch. The door opened and instead of whom he expected, three familiar faces stared at him.

He smiled. "Katie, Trip, Lucas… what are you doing here?"

"Shouldn't we be asking you that?" Katie asked, still yet to crack a smile at seeing him.

"Just thought I'd drop in and say hi." Wes answered, still smiling to see his three friends despite the situation they reunited under. "It's so good to see your faces after all these years."

"Years? Wes, it's been ten months." Lucas corrected him.

"For you, I came from 2007, for me it's been six years." Wes admitted.

"Yeah, now that you mention it, you look a little… different." Trip added.

"Wes, we admit we came to see you, we all wanted to see you, but we're here to question you as well." Katie confessed.

"I see, they thought I'd open up to my friends." Wes nodded his head thoughtfully. "Well, I hate to disappoint you, but I'm not answering any of your questions."

"Wes, you have to. Who helped you? We know you had help; no one from the 21st century has the technology to build a timejump watch. And why did you risk so much to come here anyway? What's so important?" Katie interrogated him, questions flying out of her mouth without giving Wes the chance to answer even if he wanted to.

"Katie, take it easy." Trip intervened, surprised at Katie's harsh behavior to their old friend.

"Trip, we have a job to do. We have questions, he has answers, our job is to get them out of him." Katie smiled mockingly, Trip taking her unkind sarcasm to heart. Lucas looked at Trip horrified and Trip just felt betrayed by her attitude. Katie rolled her eyes and left the jail area.

"What happened to her?" Wes asked. "The Katie I knew was never a bitch."

Lucas and Trip looked at each other, but made no attempt to deny him. "We can't tell you," Trip sighed. "We can't tell you anything about the future. You're not even supposed to be here."

"Sorry to disappoint." Wes leant back on the wall behind him.

"You came back for Jen, didn't you?" Lucas guessed. Wes remained silent, crossing his arms. "So what, you're just not gonna talk to you? We're not the enemy."

"You might as well be. The mutants seem nice enough in this time, so what does that make you?" Wes retorted spitefully.

"That's not fair, you don't know anything about this time –" Trip started.

"I know enough." Wes finished. "What happened to you, guys? We used to be a team."

"No, Wes, what happened to you? You once understood that our duty to protect mankind was more important than you or me, or anyone of us. You can't exist here, and Jen can't exist there. That's just the way it has to be." Lucas said, trying to apply logic to his friend.

"That's right, you don't know who I am, you don't know what I've been through the past six years completely alone, so don't judge me!" Wes shouted.

_Look down in the water  
Before I jump in  
To find I was sinking fast, in all that might have been  
What I need now is an honest answer  
To make things better  
You can see now my hands are tied  
And I surrender.  
So I'll wait here for your final answer,  
Your final answer._

Wordlessly, Lucas and Trip left Wes alone again, probably realizing that their Wes had died a long time ago, and that this Wes had evolved from him. No doubt they preferred the old one, but changing back would be impossible… then again, many impossible things were, in fact, possible, as he had come to learn.

Previously to this, Wes had thought about seeing the Rangers again, what their reaction would be, how they'd hug him and be happy to see him. Initially, it seemed they were, but what Wes failed to account for was the simple fact that they weren't on the same side anymore. Reality was far more ruthless than imagination could allow.

Wes had been in his cell three hours now, according to the clock on the opposite wall. He figured the authorities, whoever they may be, still couldn't decide what to do with him.

He was surprised and quite hurt that Jen hadn't come yet giving him an answer. What he asked from her was a lot, but he believed that their love was enough, didn't she? He had to hope she did. Maybe they wouldn't always agree, but he would always love her; if he didn't truly believe that, he wouldn't have come. Wouldn't she have known that?

_Is there love without hate?  
Is there pleasure without pain?  
I have seen all my mistakes  
I cast you out, but now, I want you back  
So light me again, cause my heart is turning black_

The door buzzed again, perhaps the trio sent back in for further questioning, but he would remain unmoved no matter what.

Instead, his futuristic DNA twin stepped in. "Hello, Wesley."

"Hey, Alex, long time no see. How've you been? The hair still looks great." Wes commented mockingly.

"I know why you're here, and she won't go with you." Alex stated. "You couldn't even get out of here anyway. You've taken a huge risk in coming here; your selfish actions could have damning affects. Who knows what kind of damage you've done already."

"You don't need to give me the speech, alright? I know what I'm doing." Wes replied, arms still crossed.

"I highly doubt that." Alex said, his tone always remaining calm, neutral. "I know Jen, she won't sacrifice her whole life for a fleeting romance, and you shouldn't be asking her to."

"Believe what you want to believe about me, but know this: Jen is not a fleeting romance, this is real. When I look into her eyes and my heart skips a beat, I know it's real; when I touch her and I get goose bumps, I know it's real; and when I told her I love her, I know it's real because nothing else I have ever said meant anything compared to that moment, and the moment I heard her say she loves me too." Wes finished, staring intently on Alex and then at his cell perimeters, wanting nothing more than to break free and tell Jen everything he'd just said.

_What I need now is an honest answer  
To make things better  
You can see now, my hands are tied  
And I surrender.  
So I'll wait here for your final answer  
Your final answer_

Alex stayed silent until he finally said, "If you really loved her, you wouldn't have come here." And with that said, he left Wes with his thought.

It had now been four hours since his arrest at Jen's, and Wes was becoming scared that Jen wouldn't come, that he would be forced back into his own time, or whatever else they decided to do with him. Wes thought that their love could withstand anything, prevail over any uncertainties, climb over any obstacles, and he had thought Jen believed that too; but now that he was sitting there awaiting the decision that would make or break his life's happiness, he'd never been more scared.

The door buzzed a third time, and this time, he only thought he'd rather be alone, there was nothing anyone could possibly say unless it was…

"Jen." He stood up. She looked… conflicted and as scared as him. "I didn't think you'd come."

"Of course I would come." Jen replied, surprised he'd even think she wouldn't. "I just didn't know if I would come giving you what you wanted to hear."

Wes looked at her, all the words he said to Alex wanted repeating, "Jen, I have to tell you –"

"No, Wes, now I need to be the one talking." Jen said strongly, although her pacing enough to make him nervous.

_Remember the night you wore that dress  
It flowed through our lips  
Drink after drink, and kiss after kiss  
I'm still holding on, day after day,  
Don't run away  
I want love to carry me through  
Can you tell me what I'm supposed to do?_

"When I first met you, after I though Alex had…" She began. "I made a pact with myself that work would always come first, that I would never let myself hurt like that again. Since that day, I've worked hard and been the best Pink Ranger and Agent this organization has ever seen, which made me feel so proud, so happy. I've never had a proper family, and here I have always felt like I belong." Jen said, not taking her eyes off him, who looked devastated.

Suddenly, all the lights and the power to the whole room, including the force field, cut off, though Jen remained focused on Wes as if she weren't surprised. "And I choose you. I heard everything you said to Alex through the monitors, and I realized I didn't even need to think about it, I love you and I want to be with you always, no matter what." She smiled.

Wes took a moment for her words to sink in, then threw his head back and laughed, running to her and scooping her up in his arms, lifting her off the floor, and fanatically kissing her. "I love you so much."

"I know." She grinned. "Come on, we've gotta go." She took him by the hand and dragged him out of the prison room.

_What I need now is an honest answer  
To make things better  
You can see now my hands are tied  
And I surrender  
So I'll wait her for your final answer,  
Your final answer_

* * *

**Right guys, one more chapter to go before we wrap it up over here at Feral's HQ - yes, I know I'm lame, but what are ya gonna do.  
To find out if they make it out alive, you know what you gotta do, press the little button! They make me happy :)**

**BTW - there are some awesome surpises in the final chap, one you won't want to miss, I promise you!**


	6. For You

**For You**

As Jen dragged Wes out of the prison room, lights off, alarms blaring and red sirens momentarily blinding him, all he could concentrate on was Jen, springing him from prison for them, for their future.

"Something tells me this isn't a scheduled alarm." Wes commented, smiling at her devilish ploy.

"Nope, come on, we don't have much time." Jen pulled him on, clutching his hand so tightly in fear he'd let go. In that moment, that exact gap in time, Wes silently promised himself that he would always protect her, always fight for her and never, ever let go.

They ran down the corridor, Jen paused for a second to remember where to go, when a guard popped out from behind them, catching Wes off-guard. He raised his weapon, a three-pronged sword. Jen swiftly kicked his weapon away and knocked him out with an elbow strike.

"Nice." Wes approved. She shrugged, smiled, took his hand and off they ran again.

_I am vision  
I am justice  
Never thought that I could love  
Living in shadows  
Fading existence  
It was never good enough  
Within the darkness  
You are the light that shines the way  
But you're trapped in violence  
I can be the man who saves the day_

"How do we get out of here?" Wes asked, worried by Jen's somewhat confused façade.

"Um…" She counted the different corridors. "This way." She pointed uncertainly, and catching Wes' worried look, added, "This place looks a lot different in the dark."

"That's encouraging." He muttered, running alongside her.

"We knew it would be you." A familiar voice said in the dark just ahead of them. Wes and Jen abruptly stopped; Katie, Lucas and Trip appearing just in front of them.

"I'm sorry guys, you won't stop us. I'll fight you, if I have to." Wes threatened; horrified it had come to this.

"Please, we'd kick your ass. Anyway, we thought you'd prefer some help." Lucas smiled, and Wes couldn't help but be relieved and grateful. "The guards have all the exits covered, you'll need to leave via the underground."

"Can't we transport or something?" Wes asked, realizing after he said it that it was probably a stupid question.

"Dude, this isn't _Star Trek_." Trip smirked. "Look, I can see in the dark, we'll help you get there."

"Thanks guys." Jen smiled, truly thankful for her friends.

As they all ran down the corridor, Katie turned to Wes, "About before, I…"

"Don't even think on it." Wes smiled, accepting Katie's apology, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, noticing that his wrist was…

"Wait! We need the timejumping watch!" Wes realized, mortified he hadn't noticed it before. "Where is it?"

"Alex took it." Katie replied, each looking at the other with worried expressions.

"Do you guys have another one?" Wes asked.

"No, they're really rare, that's why we wanted to know where you got it." Lucas replied.

"We have to get it." Wes said desperately, turning to Jen. "It's the only way we can get away."

Jen looked to the others and then back to Wes. "Let's go get it then."

They ran back to Alex's office, Jen suddenly worried that they hadn't encountered more guards, she just felt… off. They reached Alex's office and stepped in. Alex stood there, his back turned to them, looking out his window.

"Alex, we've come for the watch." Jen said gently as they burst through the door.

Alex turned slowly to face them, unsurprised. "Jen, I must say I'm very disappointed in you." He paused, getting the watch out of his pocket. "That said, here you go." He handed her the watch.

"Just like that?" Jen asked skeptically.

"No, not just like that. I modified it to be undetectable to the agency, they won't come after you." Jen looked as confused as she felt. "I only ever wanted you to be happy, I see now that you have that with Wes."

"Thank you, Alex." Jen kissed him on his cheek.

Alex shook Wes' hand. "You take care of her."

"You know I will." Wes promised, and looked to Jen lovingly.

_I'm there for you  
No matter what  
I'm there for you  
Never giving up  
I'm there for you, for you_

"Here, you'll need this." Alex threw Wes something he hadn't seen in six years and was all too glad to get back: his Red Ranger morpher. He felt a pang of familiarity and comfort as he slipped it onto his wrist. "It was always yours, really."

"Thanks, Alex." Wes hugged him, patting him appreciatively on the back.

"Uh guys, sorry, but we really have to go." Katie cut in.

"Right." Wes agreed. He nodded at Alex once more before they all left his office.

With his identity resumed as the Red Ranger, his team behind him and Jen by his side, Wes felt like himself for the first time in a long time; like he was finally waking up from a haze, and it felt incredible!

_Someone's changed me,  
Someone's saved me,  
And this is who I am.  
Although I was blinded  
My heart let me find out  
That truth makes a better man.  
I didn't notice  
That you were right in front of me  
Our masks of silence  
We'll put away so we can see_

"We're almost there." Trip reported, the team having to take his word for it, all being unable to see without Trip alien DNA. Trip turned the corner, but immediately backed up, forcing everyone to collide. "We can't go that way."

"Why not?" They whispered in unison.

"Laser beam plus thirty armed guards. Even if we evade the guards, the laser would get us. There's no way we'd make it past it." Trip concluded.

"Couldn't you guys just get out using the watch here?" Katie suggested.

"We can't, it's solar powered, the watch doesn't have enough power." Wes replied. They all looked to each other for suggestions, most looking blank, when Wes said, "Let's go out the front door. They'd never suspect we'd be that stupid."

The others all looked to each other, searching for an alternate, less crazy plan. When no one said anything, Lucas agreed, "Let's go prove them wrong then."

_I'm there for you  
No matter what  
I'm there for you  
Never giving up  
I'm there for you, for you_

Defiantly, without hope or fear, the five of them walked through the front doors of the Time Force Agency building, radiating with a quiet confidence and unity, as if they'd never been apart: the Time Force Power Rangers.

The streets had obviously been cleared, it was quiet, though many nervous people watched from their windows in the buildings surrounding. At least 100 guards opposed them, all armed, though Wes called their bluff as to whether they'd use them on their own people. The odds were 1:20, and more guards were surely on the way.

"Some odds," Lucas observed. "We'd be crazy to go up against them."

"This isn't your fight guys, you can leave now." Wes said, eyeing the guards.

Katie, Lucas and Trip looked at each other, their minds already made up. "We're a team, we stick together." Katie replied.

Wes and Jen smiled, looking at their friends, knowing they all had the same thought.

_Within the darkness  
You are the light that shines the way  
In this blind justice  
I can be the man that saves the day_

"Time for Time Force!" Wes yelled, synchronizing their movements perfectly together, beginning their transformation.

Strengthened by their powerful, colorful personas, the Rangers took formation. Simultaneously, they all flipped into the mass of guards, each taking who they could for what they could, swinging punches and flinging kicks with such determination. The guards kept coming, but none of them a match for the Power Rangers. Wes covered Jen, Lucas covered Katie and they all took care of each other the way teammates did, the way they always had.

"Jen!" Wes shouted as a guard pointed his gun at her. She would be too slow to react, he knew it. Without thought, Wes flung himself in front of Jen just as the gun fired, he could feel the searing heat pierce into his body as he fell to the ground.

"Wes!" Jen screamed as she cradled him in her arms as the others fought off the guards around them.

"I'm ok, Jen," Wes breathed. "It just hit the shoulder." Wes relieved her. He could hear Jen sigh from relief, as she dropped him gently to the ground and stood up to face the man that shot Wes.

She slipped over the enemy and kicked him square in the kidney before punching him in the face and flipping him on his back to be knocked unconscious.

"Man, I wouldn't wanna be on your bad side." Wes joked, as he slowly got up, recovering his posture. The fight wasn't over, and despite Jen's protests, this fight was his fight as much as hers and he wouldn't miss any second of it.

The pain was numbed by concentration, as he helped his team fight back the defenses; pretty soon over half the force were neutralized. Before they realized it, they were being ordered into a retreat, allowing the Power Rangers to have the success they'd hoped for.

As the last of the guards limped away, Wes led the others in a "Power down", reverting them to their normal selves; Wes watching the building for any further threat. Jen, in her normal state, rushed over to him and hugged him tightly, the pain returning. "Ow!"

"Sorry!" Jen said. "You scared me so much, never do that again!"

"I promise." Wes chuckled. "But I'd happily take a bullet for you any day."

"It's a laser burn, not a bullet." Katie corrected him.

"Right." Wes smiled. "We should go."

"Yes, we should." Jen agreed, looking to Katie, Lucas and Trip. "Well guys, I guess this is goodbye." She began to get a bit misty at the thought of never seeing her friends, who had risked their lives and jobs for them, again.

"I envy you." Katie admitted. "You can go anyway, _anywhen_, while we're stuck here, most likely jobless or arrested unless our boss has a sudden memory loss."

"Yeah. So Lucas, janitor or law enforcement? Both come with a very flattering uniform." Trip laughed while Lucas buried his face in his hands.

"Unless…" Wes smiled and whispered in Jen's ear, after which Jen nodded feverishly. "It just so happens that this watch can jump four times with two people…. Or only once with five." He smiled.

"We could go with you?" Trip asked hopefully.

"I don't know guys…" Lucas said warily.

"You just agreed that there was nothing for you here." Wes reminded them. "Besides, the Power Rangers shouldn't split up."

"He has a point." Katie smiled. Trip, Lucas and Katie exchanged looks and nodded excitedly.

"Right then, when to?" Jen asked, raising Wes' wrist.

"The old west!" Trip shouted. A resounding 'no' shut down that idea.

Wes turned to Jen. "I was thinking Hawaii actually. Cool breezes… beautiful beach with a beautiful girl… relaxation… palm trees." He said seductively, wrapping his arms around her.

"That sounds nice…" He smiled.

"Beach and babes, I'm in." Lucas added.

"Me too." Katie grinned. "Though, not the babes part." She smiled at Lucas.

"Me three. But turn of the century please, I'd like to be able to show my true colors." Trip smiled, referring to his head of natural green hair.

"Are there still palm trees and beaches?" Wes asked him.

"Yep." Trip grinned. "It's pretty much exactly the same."

"And we're off." Wes agreed. Everyone placed their fingers on his watch. "Hawaii, year 3100, here we come."

_I'm there for you  
No matter what  
I'm there for you  
Never giving up  
Cause you know it's true  
You were there for me  
And I'm there for you  
For you, for you, for you._

**THE END**

* * *

**Thank you all for all the reviews, I hope this last chapter was as much fun to read as it was to write.  
I'd love reviews to hear your thoughts, and well... i'd just love reviews - thank you for the constant flow of them throughout the story. You guys rock!  
Feral x**


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